I Wish They All Could Be California Girls...

(photos courtesy of Capella Kincheloe)

In light of the recent weather, and an overwhelming urge to see the sun again, today's post spotlights our favorite recent transplant from sunny So Cal with a seriously cool name, Capella Kincheloe.

Capella recently moved to Atlanta from Los Angeles and brought along her lovely design business, Capella Kincheloe Interior Design. Having worked with Michael S Smith for four years, Capella went solo and found her way to the deep south. This December, she was a featured designer in the Atlanta Homes and Lifestlyes Christmas House. We were fortunate to hear Capella speak this fall at the Miami Circle Marketplace Showcase, and just this morning, she spoke at the AmericasMart on "Adapting to Changing Design Clients." Capella also designs a gorgeous line of handmade pillows available on Etsy. A graduate of USC, and a California resident for a decade, Capella brings a fresh and exciting West coast eye to Atlanta's design community. We are so happy to have her in Atlanta, and look forward to what she has in store for our city!

We have asked Capella to compile a list of her 8 favorite things to do in L.A. in case anyone is lucky enough to be planning a trip to the West coast any time soon. And if not, just something to think about while we watch the ice melt. OK, it is clear that we have loved getting to know our new friend, so now on to her tips about how to soak up the sun!

1. Saturdays night movies at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery – a bottle of wine, bread and cheese to watch the sunset and listen to a dj spin records with a thousand people followed by a movie projected onto the side of a mausoleum.
2. Drive up PCH – sometimes it was only to visit a client, but having the Pacific Ocean on my left made me realize how lucky I was.
3. Every Thursday during the summer, bands play on the Santa Monica Pier for the Summer Dance Series. Add a bottle of wine and take out from Tacos Por Favor and you can’t beat it – doesn’t even matter who plays.
4. Hiking Runyon Canyon – filmed for so many movies & tv shows it is an iconic view when you get to the top. Plus it is quintessentially LA hiking – with a ton of beautiful people and their pampered dogs.
5. 2 hours away from LA you can get some of the best wine in the country in a picnic perfect setting. Plus there is a mini horse farm and who doesn’t love visiting dozens of mini-horses?
6. Some of the greatest designers in the country live in LA and a lot of them have shops – visit Peter Dunham’s Hollywood at Home, Harbinger from Lucas Studio, Kathryn Ireland, and Michael Smith’s newly opened showroom. There are also ton of great antique stores, but to get the bargains everyone goes to the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Go early for the best selection and to avoid the heat reflecting off the asphalt.
7. Every Sunday I would visit the year-round Beverly Hills Farmer’s Market to pick up fresh produce. When in season, there was a farmer that would have huge bunches of my favorite flower, ranuculus for $5. I miss him.
8. In addition to the farmer’s market every weekend, we would take our dogs to the unofficial Lake Hollywood dog park – sitting right underneath the Hollywood sign. Email me if you need directions – its a doozy to find.